On November 29, during his visit to Moscow, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, met with a deputy of the Russian Duma, Vladimir Resin.

At the meeting, Ardzinba briefed Resin about the economy and tourism of the de facto republic. As he said, the de facto government pays special attention to infrastructure restoration and tourism development. The so-called Minister said that approximately two million Russian tourists visited occupied Abkhazia during the 2023 holiday season. He compared this number to the number of Russian tourists to Abkhazia during the Soviet Union, which totaled four million per year.

According to Ardzinba, it is important for the occupied region to restore hospitals and hotels and the so-called government hopes to attract foreign investors. Also, he noted that in the near future it is planned to conclude an agreement with Russia on the exclusion of double taxation and the provision of guarantees to investors.

According to Resin, after Russia recognized the independence of the de facto republic and established “official” ties, it took responsibility for the development of Abkhazia, which is a “mutually beneficial strategic partnership.” He positively assessed the economic potential of Abkhazia, which can be actively developed by attracting Russian business if the so-called government gives the appropriate guarantees. He noted that there are many high professional investment and construction structures in Moscow, which can be involved in the construction process in Abkhazia.

It should be noted that Resin was the head of a construction complex – Moscow. He coordinated a number of Russian-Abkhaz projects, including the construction of the Moscow House in Sokhumi. Currently, Resin is an adviser to the Moscow Mayor and the Patriarch of Russia on construction issues. He supervises projects of the construction of churches in Moscow.